Omaha daily bee., 1887-06-09
THE BIRTH OF BURNT CORK.
"Jim Grow" Rice and His Wonderful Suo'
cess.
THE FIRST MINSTREL COMPANY
Origin OF the Old Virginia Minstreis-
Dumbietou's screnaders and Other
Old Timers-The Author
of Dan Tucker.

history and chronicle the rise and fall OF
negro minstrclsy as Charles L. White,
himself an old performer, man OF
great experience, wide observation and IN
tcllgence. For over forty-tive years he
has faithfully kept diary of the happen
ings in the world Of minstrelsy, recorded
the formation and disbandmcnt OF
companies, the first appearance of every
member, jottlng down anecdotes and
personal "reminiscences, and kept account
of those who died or left for some other
calling. The Daily News is to-day
enabled to present few of MIR. Whites
personal recollections of the earlier and
more important pioneers in this unique
line of entertainment. They can be de-
pended upon as accurate, for they are
not dimmed by the mists of age and
memory, but are transcripts from his
diary made in the early days Of burnt
cork amusements.
CHARLEY WHITES STORY.
"The earliest intimation | can find in
which individual negro business was
done in character and met with re.
sponse of popularity was in Boston, De
cember 80, 1890. Russell's Boston Ga
zette contained an advertisement OF the
performance. The first piece was
"Oronoko, or the Royal Slave" At the
end of the second act there is q Song of
the Negro Boy, in character, and this
was given by Mr.. Graupner, member
of the old Federal street company. The
famous pantomime of "Gil Bias had
been introduced that Christmas week,
and, although the house was hung with
mourning at the time on account OF the
recent death of Washington, such was
the applause given to the Song of the
Negro Boy that he had to bring in his
little bench and sing the song over and
over again. In 1915 we hear of Pig Pie
New York. George Nichols, a clown,
Bob Farrell, Sam Tatnall. Bill Kellar,
Barney Burns, Enom Dickson, Tom
Blakelpy, George w. Dixon, George Rice,
Frank Brown. Charley White, John Stan
ford and other actors and circus people
appearing in negro character, singing
the negro melodies of the day or doing
breakdowns on platforms in circus rings.
John Smith, Juba and John Diamond,
the latter a card of Barnum's, also were
| popular.
The late T. d. Rice (known as Daddy
Rice) is the acknowledged father and
| founder of the Ethiopian comedy. He at
once filled the bill, and every theatre
that he played in as well, and sustained
his success for thirty years afterward.
Rice was born in the city of New York.
a ship carver, Joined dramatic associa-
ton, and went to Kentucky under the
management of N. M. Ludlow, well
| known western actor and manager.
While member of this company he dis
| played considerable talent as an imita-
tor of the negroes IN their pecularities
and eccentrlcities, and was at length an
nounced to make his flrst appearance
IN A NEGRO CHARACTER
in the city of Louisville. Prior to this,
however, he had played both IN New
| York and in tho west, many low comedy
| parts with success, but not until he COM
menced his negro singing and burlesque
| operatic performances was he considered
| OF sufficient note to render his name at
made his Ethiopian debut at the old
Bowery theatre. New York, in the char
acter of Jim Grow.
i wish was de president OBJ desc United
I'd lick molasses candy. and swing upon de
Wheel about and turn about, and do jes so
| Crow a
novelty and the excellence OF Its repre-
equalled by anything of its kind before
or since. Rice during that season is SAID
to have brought more money into the
| Bowery treasury than any other Amerl-
can performer during the same period Of
time. After most successful career in
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and
other cities, he visited England in 1886,
and performed with great applause at
the Surrey Uondon), as also in Dublin
and Cork creating furor unprecedented
even in the annals of the British stage,
and almost literally driving for time
from the boards such favorites as Ma
cready, the Woods, and other distin-
guished performers. While in England
he married Miss Gladstone, the Oldest
daughter of a former manager OF tie
to his native country, appearing at Wal
lacks National theatre, corner OF Church
and Leonard streets, New York, on the
18th of October, 1887, in his speciality, the
Virginia Mummy For many years sub
sequently Mr.. Rice was eagerly sought
after by the managers and played as O
star in nearly every theatre in the Union
latter days, though he appeared, elicitinp
much applause, as late as 1854. Stricken
finally with paralysis, his death occurred
after season of prolonged suffering, in
the city of his birth, September 10, 1860
at the age of 80.
"Many suppose that negro mlnstrelsy
orgigated in the palmy days of Daddy
Rice's existence. That was not so, ant
Rice never was associated with n min
strel band. There was number o.
burnt-cork artists, as alluded to in the
preceding, that were doing negro spec
ialty acts at various places in the coun
try-some with the banjo, some withou
it. others having for their principal at
traction only some negro melody such a
Coal Black Rose,' Such Gittin' Up
Stairs 'Gumbo Chaff,' and one or two
others of less popularity.
| THE FIRST MINSTREL COMPANY
1T was while Dan Emmett and Franz
Brewer were at the Bowery amphi
theatre in December 1912, that the ides
of q minstrel company was first put In
motion by the following persons, VIZ
Dan Emmett, Frank Brewer, Billy Whit
lock and Dick Pelham, who all immedi-
ately went into thorough course OF re
hearsals at the boarding house OF
Emmett, 81 Catherine street, New York
The cause of their organization was
simply TO make up a combination o.
negro fun for one night only, which wa
expressly for the benefit of Pelham, wh'
at that time was dancing between tn
pieces at the Chatham theatre. Thei
rehearsals were sufficiently encouraging
to satisfy them that they had indeed